The Thorn in the Tabby's Paw
by shadowdragon1993
Summary: Hermione Granger's philosopher's stone. Leaving behind a loving family to enter a world already against her, Hermione must learn to face her fears, find friends and quite surprisingly fight evil, all with the help of a rather unexpected friend and a teacher who would inspire her to push her magic to its limits. This will be a slow burn HG/MM over more then one story. R&R thanks
1. prorogue

**The thorn in the tabby paw**

Hello and welcome lovely readers to my second ever fan-fiction (my first was rather rubbish but we do not speak of it) the plan is for this to be a multi chapter fic but its going to be slow going sorry. :'( feel free to drop a review at the bottom I would love to know what you think. Thanks (waves excitedly)

disclaimer; I S.D do solemnly swear that I own nothing but the plot. Only in the world of dreams can I write as well as the magical J.K Rowling

**prologue**

Hermione Granger was born on Wednesday the 19 of September 1979, at around half past 4 in the afternoon, to Jane and John Granger, who had been happily married for two years,(contrary to popular belief Hermione has never been a morning person.)The Grangers were very happy indeed to learn that they were to have a baby for they had always felt that there was something missing in there lives together. Mr Granger was a very calm and caring man,was never one to raise his voice or get needlessly angry, even when his beloved wife broke three bones in his hand during labour he just smiled happily and encouraged her to hold as tight as she needed. Mrs Granger however was a bubbly fun loving woman with a penchant for sarcasm, and a quick hot temper that Mr Granger was rather good at settling.

Hermione was a very special child, rarely did she cry, more interested in watching the world around her, learning at an accelerated rate. By the time she was two months old she was crawling, by five months toddling and by her seventh month she was walking. It was about this time that she preformed her first piece of accidental magic. After being lovingly tucked into her cot one night little Hermione decided that she was just not tired and so sat up got a book from the shelf and began to flip through the pages (as she could not read just yet but the pictures where very interesting). When her parents came to check on her a little while later they were quite astonished, not because she was _reading_ but because the light was on (and Jane was adamant that she had switched it off) and the book that Hermione was so happily looking through had to there knowledge been on the bookshelf on the other side of the room, impossible to reach from the cot in witch Hermione resided.

And so Jane and John Granger were confronted with the fact that there beautiful little girl was not in fact normal, she was indeed rather special. As the years passed Hermione grew and so did her mind and magic. She learnt early on to hide her magic, not because she was scared of it but because magic was a lot easer to hide then her intelligences and she didn't want to be _to_ different from all the other boys and girls. She never did stop _calling _books to her however, and never stopped practising her magic. Just incase she ever met someone like her, she was determined to be the best. She _was_ Hermione Granger after all.

TBC

Thank you for reading beautiful people that you are. Please tell me what you think


	2. Chapter 2

The thorn in the tabby's paw

Hello and welcome lovely readers to chapter two. feel free to drop a review at the bottom I would love to know what you think. Thanks (waves excitedly) to everyone who has come back to check this out thank you, and to my new readers hi!

disclaimer; I S.D do solemnly swear that I own nothing but the plot. Only in the world of dreams can I write as well as the magical J.K Rowlin

Hermione Granger was eleven, it wasn't a very noteworthy age but she liked it. It was old enough that she no longer had to hide her innate maturity but still young enough that if she messed up no one would judge her, not that she ever messed up, but it was nice to have that knowledge that if she _did_ it would be aright.

It was about halfway though the summer holidays and Hermione was sitting in her back garden reading a rather large book on the history of political Britain and enjoying the sun. When she heard a strange noise coming from behind the hedge surrounding the garden. It was an odd sort of noise like a rumbling growl with a yowling hiss running through it, it sounded like a cat trying to swear, giggling Hermione went to explore. Carefully pushing aside the bushes, she found a small clearing just big enough for her to stand up in, and on the wall sat the most beautiful cat she had ever seen. A sleek and graceful grey tabby with thick, flowing black stripes and white socks. It sat prim and poised in a very un-cat like manner, the only thing detracting from the image was I small splash of red on the cats left fore paw. When Hermione saw this she rushed foreword gently cradling the paw in her hand as she inspected the small wound.

"Oh you poor thing" she crooned to the small feline, somehow feeling like it could understand her. A rather large thorn was sticking out if the tabby's paw, a small amount of blood oozing from around it.

"That must really hurt" Hermione winced in sympathy. She looked up from the paw to see the tabby giving her, what she could only describe as a _well duh_ face.

"Hey don't look at me like that! I didn't stick the thorn in your paw, did I?" She asked frowning at the cat. They stared at each other for a moment before the tabby slowly shook its head.

"Alright then, don't take it out on me, ok?" When the tabby once again nodded she went back to inspecting the paw, turning it this way and that, always careful not to hurt it. Before she looked up with a smile.

"Ok I can get this out for you easy. But only if you want me to." For some reason Hermione was sure that she should ask permission before doing anything further. As she waited for a reply she took the chance to really look at the tabby, and what caught her attention the most was its eyes, they were the most strikingly brilliant green she had ever seen in her life. They seemed to glow filled with an intelligence that far surpassed any cat and most humans. It was at that moment that Hermione realized that this was not a normal cat. That amazing green looked past the eleven year old body and straight into the old soul within. And she new that she would do anything in her power to never lose this being, to never hurt it or leave it disappointed in her. The tabby blinked and nodded once again, braking the spell but the moment was sealed within her heart and soul.

thank you so much for reading. you have no idea how much i love you all 3

i know it short and i hope that as the story progresses that ill be able to write longer chapters, so please bear with me


	3. Chapter 3

The thorn in the tabby's paw

**Hi lasses and lads its good to see you all here, welcome to you who are new, welcome back to everyone else. So this is the next chapter for you, I hope its all that you where hoping for. **

**Ok so I have a request for you all, if that's ok. As you can probably tell I'm rather naff at summary's so if any of you have any ideas I'd be glad to hear them, thanks. I'm a tad worried that the story's not getting seen because of the bad summary. But now lets get on with the show.**

**P.s I enjoy acid pops.**

**Disclaimer: I shadowdragon solemnly swear that I own nothing but the plot.**

Braking the eye contact Hermione looked down, inexplicably she began to blush. A soft pressure on the back of her hand forced her to look up, once again meeting impossibly green eyes. The tabby tipped its head inquisitively and Hermione could almost imagine a questioningly raised eyebrow. Hermione just gave a small smile and shook her head, she couldn't answer if she did not know.

"Right I'm going to take it out now, just stay still and it will be gone before you know it." Hermione closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, as she did she felt the familiar warmth in her chest and with little thought pushed it down into her finger tips and out imagining as she did exactly what she wanted to happen. "_pull out the thorn, heal the wound, clean the blood"_ with this firmly in mind her hand began to glow softly, and when she lifted it a moment later, a perfectly whole paw was revealed, you would never know it had been hurt if not for the small white scar in the centre of the pink pad.

"There you go, that wasn't so bad now was it." Hermione said with a grin, looking up to meet the eyes of a rather startled tabby. Her face fell as the feline gave no indication of thanks or even acknowledged that she had spoken. With a small sad smile she turned her back and slid down the wall so that she could wrap her arms around her knees.

"Mum said this would happen if I ever showed anyone my magic." she sighed, closing her eyes and resting her head on her knees. "Its why I don't have any friends, really. To easy to slip up, you know? I had hoped that you would be ok with it as your obviously not a normal cat." there was a soft nudge at her elbow when she looked down she saw the tabby looking up at her with wide solemn eyes, before rubbing its head against her again.

"You didn't run away." Hermione said in wonder. "Why not?" the tabby looked at her then down at the gowned at its feet, it pawed at a small twig, before a soft glow showed under its paw and just like that the twig was a beautiful red flower. "You can do magic too!" Hermione exclaimed in wonder. The tabby nodded is head, and ever so gently lifted the flower between its teeth to place it in Hermione's lap. Hermione raised a tentative hand and slowly, when the tabby didn't shy away, began to stroke its head.

Soon the tabby was quietly purring and Hermione felt her self relaxing. "We could be friends if you like?" she said softly. The tabby pawsted purring for a moment before meeting her eyes and nodding its head and carefully making its way into Hermione's lap, turning around and around before settling comfortably curled up against Hermione's belly. Hermione let lose a small giggle before once again dancing her fingers through its velvety soft fer.

And that's how they stayed, until the sun made its fiery way below the horizon and Jane Granger called her little girl back to the comforts of home and a lovingly cooked meal. The tabby and the girl parted ways in a tiny clearing amongst the bushes of a garden in a London housing estate, with the unspoken promise hat they _would _see each other again.

**Woo this has been my longest chapter so far (little happy dance). Ok so just a quick shout out to my bata Tardispals she's the best and if your into doctor who you should defiantly give her a lookin. (she's going to kill me for this but hey its worth it). **

**Now to all of you lovely readers thank you my pretty's mwahaha. I hope to see you all soon but until then make many happy memory's because each and everyone of them is a patronus waiting to happen. Please R&R see you soon. (waving madly).**


	4. Chapter 4

The Thorn in the Tabby's Paw

**Ave and welcome readers new and old. Here's the new chapter for your reading pleasure, feel free to R&R if you have the time. Thanks.**

**Just a small note I know some of you might be a wee bit unhappy with the length of the chapters and for this I'm sorry, but I'm getting better so far each chapter has been a little longer then the one before so here's hoping the trend continues.**

**Disclaimer: I shadowdragon solemnly swear that I own nothing but my plot.**

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><p>Sundays where always a favourite day in the Granger household as nether Jane nor John had to work, there for making Sundays family days. Often on these days you would fine the small family happy lounging around the house, more often then not still in their pyjamas. They would talk, read, to each other and themselves, play games and just have fun being a family.<p>

And so it was, only a week after Hermione and the tabby had parted ways that the young girl was to be found sat at the kitchen table, legs swinging merrily as she helped her mother make cookies. Occasionally she and her father would be caught stealing little bites of the batter only to receive a teasing scowl from Jane and a threat of "no cookies for you if you don't behave." delivered with a small smile. It was around the time that John was pulling the cookies from the oven that the doorbell rang gently through the house.

"I'll get it." Hermione sang as she dived around her father, stealing one of the hot cookies as she went and laughingly dodging her mothers playful swat, before running down the hall chased by her fathers disgruntled "hey!" as he realized what had happened. Trying to juggle the hot cookie in one hand and open the door with the other while still laughing at her now grumbling father, Hermione managed to pull the door open but in the proses lost her hold on the cookie. She watched with no small amount of sadness as her pilfered treat plummeted to the ground, only to be caught inches from the welcome mat by an elegant long fingered hand. Hermione's eyes followed the line of the hand up past an arm and shoulder encased within a dark green high-necked blouse and on to meet the most bewitching green eyes she had ever seen, they seemed to swirl with endless shades of green ranging from forest to emerald and every variation in between.

"I believe this is yours." Spoke the owner of the eyes in a light Scottish accent that seemed to dance thought Hermione's mind, making her smile. She accepted the treat back from the stranger, finally pulling her gaze away from the woman's eyes to take in her entire appearance. The woman had an ageless look to her, and if Hermione had to guess she would have said that the woman had only recently entered her thirty's, but those eyes stared back at her with an age and wisdom that spoke of years of life, there was pain in those eyes but also laugher and love. It was the last that called to Hermione telling her of comfort and acceptance in all things. A soft clearing of the throat pulled Hermione from her thoughts, and she blushed at having been caught staring.

"Hello, my name is Minerva Mcgonagall, I would like I wee word with your parents if you would not mind." A gentle smile graced the woman's lips as she spoke, her accent once again lifting Hermione's lips to match.

"Please come in." Hermione spoke for the first time, steeping aside to allow the woman entrance before leading the way back into the kitchen and to her parents.

T...T

Professor Minerva Mcgonagall was nervous, witch was in truth incredibly strange as she rarely if ever succumbed to nerves, and yet as she was about to step into the home of a potential new student, something she had done countless times throughout the years, she found herself to be sweaty palmed, heart racingly nervous. In her heart she new why, this young girl was destined to do great things. But this was not what had the great Minerva Mcgonagall shaking, no it was the knowledge engrained deep within her soul, that this young girl was to be, from this moment on, an integral part of her life. She didn't know how, but she knew to the very depths of her being that Hermione Jean Granger would one day change everything, and she truly hoped it was a change for the better. And so Professor Minerva Mcgonagall pushed herself forward into the small London home, and onto the path that one day lead her to her future.

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><p><strong>Ok not exactly what I had planed for this chapter, but there you go this story is going to write itself how it wants whether I like it or not :)<strong>

**Thanks for reading please leave a review or pm me if you have any questions or if you spot a mistake. Thanks. **

**Oh and any mistakes are solely mine because I'm an impatient sod and couldn't wait for my beta to get out of work. I will be getting a kick in the butt for this later.**


	5. Chapter 5

The Thorn in the Tabby's Paw.

Ravenclaw91 . **Yep did it on purpose totally yep on purpose**.

**Ave.**

**Hello again, nothing much to say so on with the story.**

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><p>Jane Granger was a small woman standing at only 5'3'' and quite petite, most people never noticed her size though, as the sheer strength of her personality had them believing she was far taller. She had long burgundy hair that John liked to describe as being like the dark heart of a ruby, that fell in perfect ringlets around her heart shaped face and ice blue eyes that shone with perpetual mischief.<p>

John in comparison was a tall man, towering over his beloved wife at a respectable 6'1'' he had soft blonde streaked, brown hair that he tied at the nape of his neck with a long strip of blue leather, "to match Jane's eyes" he would explain if asked about the colour. His eyes were the warmest of browns and would hold you captive, gently encouraging you to smile no matter what your mood.

Minerva sat quietly at the Granger's kitchen table, cup of tea in hand, and watched as Hermione's parents sat in stunned silence. She had just informed them that their daughter was a witch. She, the deputy headmistress, had then personally invited Hermione to live and learn at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, one of the most prestigious magical schools in the world. It was a lot to take in she knew, and so she let them sit. In the mean time she studied them and was amazed to find that they were so perfectly two halves of Hermione, or she should say that Hermione was the perfect sum of them.

Hermione stood even now, at eleven years of age, level with her mother. It was clear that with time she would grow to be a tall young woman. Her hair was a perfect mix of mother and father, long brown curls, streaked with gold and red. The soft fall of her hair reminded Minerva of autumn leaves, so many warm colours flowing gently over her shoulder and down her back. Hermione's eyes were soft and warm like melted chocolate, filled with a thirst for knowledge that wouldn't be quenched, but within the depths of those warmly glowing eyes there was an endless laugher and a mischievous twinkle that invited you join in the fun.

The silence was broken abruptly by startled laughter. Hermione sat bent double in her chair between her parents, desperately attempting to stifle her laughter and only succeeding in adding a snort to the compelling sound. Soon the whole of the small family were laughing along with her and even the formidable Minerva Mcgonagall gave a small snigger before catching herself and taking a sip of her now tepid tea.

"I'm sorry." Hermione gasped out, clutching her stomach. "Its just that its so good to finally know that I'm not alone." As she said the words the laughter died down, and John gently warped his arm around her while Jane gripped her hand giving it a slight squeeze.

"You were never alone love, your mum and I have and will always be here for you" John whispered in her ear, but they both knew it wasn't the same. As much as Hermione loved her parents, the desperate sense of relief that had flooded her at the news that she was no longer alone had been to much to contain and so she had laughed, she had laughed for the relief, she had laughed at the loss of fear and she had laughed as the crushing sense of loneliness had finally after eleven long years, finally left her.

There was a moment of silence as they all sat processing their emotions, then Jane, who was always one to be wary of things that would effect her family had a thought that caused her to stiffen, something that didn't go unnoticed by her husband daughter.

"What is it love." John asked softly

"How do we know what your saying is the truth. For all we know your some government employee come to steal our daughter." she said quietly but there was power behind her words, she would not go unanswered. Minerva knew in that moment she would have to prove herself before this woman would allow her to speak more to Hermione about the school and her future there. Placing her now empty cup down she stood and slowly puled her wand from her sleeve.

"This is my wand." she said, lifting the long shaft of dark wood. "Wands come in all lengths, wood and core. Each wand is unique, mine for example is a 9 and a half inch fir, with a dragon heartstring core. Those gifted with magic use wands to harness and guide our magic allowing us to control it so that we may use it to benefit ourselves and others." with a wave of her wand Minerva proceeded to transform her tea cup into a beautiful ice blue rose, which she then handed to a stunned Jane.

"Within the grounds of Hogwarts you will learn to wield the magic that flows through your veins, you will learn to charm the world around you, to transfigure all that you see yourself included, to brew potions that can heal the worst of wounds and master the art of runes to ward against all things. Magic is limitless, you will never run out of things to learn. I believe that you could be the greatest witch of this age, Hermione Granger but this choice is yours."

Hermione sat frozen in her seat as her mind raced with all the possibility's. To go to a place filled with people like her to learn, oh the things she could learn, she could find a place where she belonged, she could fined friends who would never leave her because she was different or strange.

She looked up into the enchanting green eyes of professor Minerva Mcgonagall deputy headmistress of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry and spoke four words that would set her on the path to her future and a life of greatness.

"I am a witch."

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><p><strong>Woo hoo! End of chapter four. And what a chapter that took forever to write.<strong>

**Ok so I hope you liked it and you know R&R if you have the time thanks.**

**Oh and I would like to dedicate this chapter to Lindsey Stirling she is truly an amazing artist and her music is all I listen to when writing this fic. If you don't know her please look her up on YouTube she really is something to see.**


	6. Chapter 6

The Thorn in the Tabby's Paw

Ave

Ok I know this is really fast after the last one but I had to write it out and once it was written I figured why not post it so here you have it I hope you enjoy.

This chapter is dedicated to all the people I work with for putting up with me. Thanks guys. And to Alice and Frances most of all for helping to solve a problem I've had since beginning this fic. Thank you both soooo much.

Disclaimer: I shadowdragon solemnly swear that I own nothing but my plot.

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><p>Hermione sat in her bedroom reading a book about ancient Greece, or to be truthful she was sat on her bed with a book about ancient Greece in her lap, while her mind was consumed with thoughts of witches and wizards and magic and a thousand other things that had very little to do with ancient Greece. For tomorrow she and her parents would be going to a place called Diagon alley, a magical high street hidden in the heart of London, to get all her new school things, as from the first of September and for the next seven years after that Hermione would be attending Hogwarts, a boarding school for magically gifted children.<p>

Hermione had tried to persuade her parents to go that day, as she really did want to start reading her new school books as soon as possible, to get the best start she could. She was coming from a muggle family and didn't want to be behind all the other children before she even started and they were bound to know the basics of magic already. But her mother had said that she could wait at least until the next day, "That way we cant spend the whole day there Kitten and you can take as mush time as you want in the book shop." her father had reasoned, and Hermione had agreed she couldn't pass up an offer unlimited book shopping.

Hermione was pulled from her thoughts by an odd noise from outside her window, shifting the heavy book onto the bed beside her she leaned over to look through the glass and into her back garden. And there on the garden wall and non other then her tabby, sitting prim and proper as she had been the first time they met, Hermione was just deciding whether or not she should go out to say hello when she spotted what had made the noise that had called her attention in the first place. The rather ugly tom cat from across the road was slowly making its way down the wall toward her tabby, Hermione did not know whether the cat wished to mate or fight but she did not like the look of it at all. She watched with bated breath as the tom move closer and closer until it was within touching distends of her tabby, there was a moment of stillness from all party's and then the tom pushed forward again moving to attack. In one moment Hermione's breath froze in her chest, the tom pounce, and her tabby with a look of pure disdain lifted her paw and casually batted the tom right off the wall and into the thorn filled bush beside it, with a loud yowl the tom streaked form the garden and Hermione burst into laugher. Looking up from where her laughter had left her leaning against the window frame she met her tabby's eyes and could have sworn it winked at her.

Just as Hermione was recovering from the wink and was once again debating whether or not to go out, a large barn owl dropped from a nearby tree to land beside her tabby its feathers glowing golden in the low evening sunlight. Once again Hermione sat frozen waiting to see what would happen. Her tabby was still for a moment before carefully leaning over to rub her head against the owl in a clear show of affection and welcome. The owl in turn bowed its head accepting and even seeming to enjoy the caress of fer against feathers. After a moment her tabby straightened again and the owl offered its leg to which a small scroll of parchment was carefully tied. With gentle movements her tabby loosened the string that held the scroll and caught it beneath her paw as it fell, giving the owl one last rub before it flew away. Then to Hermione surprise her tabby opened the scroll between her paws and began to read, a moments later leaving the girl sitting truly baffled on her bed as with a last glance and a slight bow to her the small feline winked out of existence, with only the smallest of pops to say that she had ever been there.

It was dark by the time Hermione turned back to her book, and after flipping on the bedside lamp she pulled the book back into her lap, looking down she saw that it had fallen open to a page about the gods that the ancient Greeks had worshipped, one goddess in particular caught her eye.

_Athena is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic war, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill in ancient Greek religion and mythology. Veneration of Athena was so persistent that archaic myths about her were recast to adapt to cultural changes. In her role as a protector of the city, many people throughout the Greek world worshipped Athena as Athena Polias ("Athena of the city"). While the city of Athens and the goddess Athena essentially bear the same name (Athena the goddess, Athenai the city), it is not known which of the two words is derived from the other._

_In Greek mythology, a Little Owl baby traditionally represents or accompanies Athena, Because of such association, the bird — often referred to as the "owl of Athena" has been used as a symbol of knowledge, wisdom, perspicacity and erudition throughout the Western world._

War, strength and wisdom Hermione mused thinking back to the fight, (if you could call it that) the owl and the letter. It fit her tabby perfectly she thought to herself.

"Athena." she said out loud testing the way it sounded. "yes I think that fits her just perfectly." And so the small grey tabby was named Athena, after the Greek goddess of wisdom. Well at least to Hermione she was.

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><p>Every thing In italics was taken from wikipedia so if you find is wrong in anyway I'm sorry<p>

Thanks for reading please R&R is you have the time


	7. sorry

I'm so very sorry for this, I swore I would never be this person but I am putting this story on pause for a while. This is a mostly happy story, and due to resent events and my own stupidity I'm just not able to write anything, well happy at the moment. It would seem that I have acquired my own personal dementor.

Don't give up on me though, I will take up this story again and it will be finished.

Sorry

Shadowdragon


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